{"title":"English Sparkling Wine","description":"\u003cp\u003eEnglish sparkling wine has become one of the most exciting categories in the wine world. The chalk soils of Sussex, Kent and Hampshire share the same geology as Champagne, and the cool climate gives vibrant acidity and fine, persistent bubbles. Made by the traditional method from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier, the best rival Champagne in blind tastings. Expect green apple, citrus and brioche. Ideal as an aperitif or with fish and chips, smoked salmon and oysters.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"nv-cavendish-ridgeview","title":"Cavendish, Ridgeview NV","description":"\u003ch3\u003eHow it tastes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eA cascade of exceptionally fine bubbles carries expressive red berry and almond aromas, and the palate is vibrant but rounded — raspberry frangipane with a streak of bergamot orange and a gentle spice note from the Pinot, the Chardonnay lending grace behind it. Dry, with the high acidity English chalk gives and a soft weight from eighteen months on lees. Pinot Noir 36%, Chardonnay 32%, Meunier 32%.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe producer\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eRidgeview was founded in Sussex in 1995 by Mike and Chris Roberts, early enough that the English sparkling wine industry barely existed; Mike Roberts was awarded an MBE in 2011 in recognition of what the estate's pioneering had contributed, and it is now led by the second generation, Tamara Roberts as chief executive and Simon Roberts as head winemaker. Ridgeview won the IWSC 'International Winemaker of the Year' in 2018, its wines have been poured at Royal occasions and State Banquets, and it is a certified B Corporation. The grapes come from the original Ridgeview vineyards, now 28 years old, and from carefully selected partner vineyards across southern England: generally south-facing, free-draining slopes in and around the South Downs, with a couple in East Anglia, on a mix of chalk, clay, gravel and sandstone between 10 and 50 metres of elevation in a cool maritime climate. Vines are trained to vertical shoot positioning and mostly Guyot pruned, with Marco Simonit advising on gentle pruning to preserve the older plantings, and all the fruit is picked by hand. The grapes were gently whole-bunch pressed and fermented at 18°C to 20°C in stainless steel with selected Champagne yeasts; Cavendish blends carefully selected recent vintages with reserve wines, a portion of which went through malolactic conversion. The wine spent six months on its gross lees in stainless steel between harvest and bottling, and secondary fermentation then ran slowly and cool in underground cellars, with an average of eighteen months on lees before disgorging.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFood and drinking\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eServe at 7–9°C, and in a white wine glass rather than a flute if you want the aromas. It goes with smoked salmon blinis, roast chicken, a mushroom risotto or a hard sheep's cheese, and makes a generous aperitif; drink it over the next two to three years. No decanting. The bottle is sealed with a DIAM closure. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ridgeview","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58476543246719,"sku":"HNW-63937NVA","price":34.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/4192\/4998\/files\/63937NVA.jpg?v=1789923660"},{"product_id":"2020-cuvee-vintage-wiston-estate","title":"Cuvée Vintage, Wiston Estate 2020","description":"\u003ch3\u003eHow it tastes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eEach variety is fermented in old Burgundy and Bordeaux barrels and the blend then rests five years on lees, so the shape is broad and bready rather than lean, and the mousse is fine. Twelve per cent alcohol and 8 g\/l of sugar leave it firmly dry, with the brisk acidity that South Downs chalk gives running the length of a saline finish. Pinot Noir 57%, Chardonnay 33%, Meunier 10%.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe producer\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWiston Estate has belonged to the Goring family since 1743 and is presided over today by Harry and Pip Goring, with their son Richard and his wife Kirsty running the vineyard and winery day to day; it was Pip, who grew up in South Africa's winelands, whose conviction that the South Downs shared soil and climate with Champagne led to the planting. The original 16-acre Findon Park vineyard went in in 2006 with a spread of Champagne and Burgundy clones, in a secluded valley four kilometres north of the coast where the airflow staves off disease and spring frost is rare, and where some 30 centimetres of topsoil sit directly on the solid chalk of the Downs; under winemaker Marcus Rayner-Ward the team works to biodynamic principles, with cover crops between alternate rows, home-made compost, recycled pressed skins, biodegradable tie-downs and no herbicides, and picks everything by hand. Each variety is pressed separately in a traditional Coquard basket press and fermented in second- and third-use barrels from Burgundy and Bordeaux, rested on lees until the following summer, then blended and bottled for a cool, slow second fermentation, five years on lees and a final period on cork after disgorging.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFood and drinking\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eServe at 8°C, in a white-wine glass. It suits Dover sole, dressed crab, a roast chicken or a mature Cheddar, and is drinking well now and for three to five years; no decanting. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiston Estate","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58476543705471,"sku":"HNW-6162520A","price":42.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/4192\/4998\/files\/6162520A.jpg?v=1789923549"},{"product_id":"nv-rose-wiston-estate","title":"Rosé, Wiston Estate NV","description":"\u003ch3\u003eHow it tastes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eRhubarb leads, with raspberry, sour cherry and redcurrant behind it and a lift of wild rose and lemon zest. The palate is bright and dry, fine bubbles running persistently through high, refreshing acidity, and the finish turns to sherbet and hibiscus. Pinot Noir 40%, Chardonnay 30%, Meunier 30%.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe producer\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Goring family have owned Wiston Estate in Sussex since 1743, and it is presided over today by Harry and Pip Goring, with their son Richard and his wife Kirsty running the vineyard and winery day to day. It was Pip Goring, who grew up in South Africa's winelands, who held the conviction that the land could grow high-quality grapes, on the strength of the South Downs' similarity of soil and climate to Champagne; the original 16-acre vineyard was planted in 2006. The vineyards lie on a south-facing chalk escarpment planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and the team works to biodynamic principles under winemaker Marcus Rayner-Ward: cover crops between alternate rows, alternated yearly for soil health, sheep grazing between the vines through winter, home-made compost and recycled pressed skins, and a Lipco tunnel sprayer that recycles spray and has cut chemical use by 40%. The chalk suits Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; Meunier prefers clay, so some is sourced from clay soils in Kent, alongside fruit from long-term partner growers across the south-east. Everything is picked by hand in late autumn and pressed whole-bunch by variety, fermented in stainless steel and rested eight months on its yeast lees before bottling the summer after harvest, when reserve wines dating back to 2009 are added to make up 20–30% of the blend, along with a small portion of still Pinot Noir for colour and deep red fruit. The wine then takes its slow second fermentation in bottle and stays on lees at a cool 9–11°C for two to four years, finished with a dosage of 8 g\/l.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFood and drinking\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eServe at 8–10°C. It is good with charcuterie, seared tuna, a tomato and goat's cheese tart or strawberries and cream at the other end of the meal, and is best drunk over the next two to three years. No decanting. The bottle is closed with a traditional sparkling-wine mushroom cork. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiston Estate","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58476545474943,"sku":"HNW-61620NVA","price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/4192\/4998\/files\/61620NVA.jpg?v=1789923660"},{"product_id":"nv-blanc-de-blancs-wiston-estate","title":"Blanc de Blancs, Wiston Estate NV","description":"\u003ch3\u003eHow it tastes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eDelightfully fresh and taut, with crisp green apple, grapefruit and lemon zest, white blossom and a delicate note of white peach. Delicate bubbles, flinty minerality and a hint of patisserie softness from long ageing on lees, finishing clean, dry and vibrant. Chardonnay 100%.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe producer\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Goring family have owned Wiston Estate in Sussex since 1743, and it is presided over today by Harry and Pip Goring, with their son Richard and his wife Kirsty running the vineyard and winery day to day. It was Pip Goring, who grew up in South Africa's winelands, who held the conviction that the land could grow high-quality grapes, on the strength of the South Downs' similarity of soil and climate to Champagne; the original 16-acre vineyard was planted in 2006. The vineyards lie on a south-facing chalk escarpment, which is exactly what Chardonnay wants, and the team works to biodynamic principles under winemaker Marcus Rayner-Ward: cover crops between alternate rows, alternated yearly for soil health, sheep grazing between the vines through winter, home-made compost and recycled pressed skins, and a Lipco tunnel sprayer that recycles spray and has cut chemical use by 40%. Fruit comes from the estate's own vineyards and a selection of long-term partner growers, all of it picked by hand. The Chardonnay is harvested in late autumn and pressed as whole bunches, fermented in stainless steel and rested eight months on its yeast lees before bottling the summer after harvest, when reserve wines dating back to 2009 are added to make up 20–30% of the blend. The wine then takes its slow second fermentation in bottle and stays on lees at a cool 9–11°C for around three to four years, gaining flavour and structure through autolysis, before riddling and disgorging with a dosage of 8 g\/l.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFood and drinking\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eServe at 7–9°C. It is a natural with oysters, dressed crab, sushi or a plate of hard mountain cheese, and works as well on its own before dinner; drink over the next two to three years. No decanting. The bottle is closed with a traditional sparkling-wine mushroom cork. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiston Estate","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58476546031999,"sku":"HNW-61623NVA","price":36.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/4192\/4998\/files\/61623NVA.jpg?v=1789923660"},{"product_id":"nv-brut-reserve-coates-seely","title":"Brut Reserve, Coates \u0026 Seely NV","description":"\u003ch3\u003eHow it tastes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMouthwatering orchard apple and lemon curd on the nose, with hints of melon and brioche behind them. Full-bodied and textured for a wine of 12%, with a steady stream of fine bubbles, high acidity, plenty of fruit and a lovely creamy finish. Pinot Noir 50%, Chardonnay 40%, Meunier 10%.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe producer\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCoates \u0026amp; Seely began in 2008, when two old friends — Nicholas Coates and Christian Seely, one from finance and one from winemaking — set out to make a sparkling wine to rival the best in the world, and found their site on the ancient chalk downlands of Hampshire. The vineyards lie on either side of a secluded V-shaped valley at 50 to 100 metres, a mile north of the chalk stream of the River Test and three miles south of the high ridge of Watership Down; the chalk soils and clay caps throw up rugged flints that hold the sun's heat and warm the topsoil, while the enclosed valley traps the last of the late-summer and early-autumn warmth to ripen the fruit. The vineyard is worked without pesticides or herbicides and with only limited fungicide, and the vines are picked by hand at optimum maturity, when crisp acidity, sweet fruit and saline minerality are in balance. Rigorous fruit selection is followed by vinification in stainless steel tanks and concrete fermentation eggs, with the second fermentation in bottle by the méthode traditionnelle; the non-vintage wines make extensive use of reserve wines from previous years and are aged between 24 and 36 months on lees, which is where the depth comes from. The house are former winners of Best Overall Wine, Best Sparkling Wine, Best Blanc de Blancs and Best Sparkling Rosé at the UK Wine Awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFood and drinking\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eServe at 8–10°C, in a white wine glass. It has the weight for roast chicken, a creamy fish pie, smoked haddock or a wedge of aged Cheddar, and stands up to fried food as well as anything does; drink over the next two to three years. No decanting. The bottle is closed with a traditional sparkling-wine mushroom cork. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Coates \u0026 Seely","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58476546720127,"sku":"HNW-61271NVA","price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/4192\/4998\/files\/61271NVA.jpg?v=1789923660"},{"product_id":"2015-classic-cuvee-hoffmann-rathbone","title":"Classic Cuvée, Hoffmann \u0026 Rathbone 2015","description":"\u003ch3\u003eHow it tastes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eA satin mousse carries rich aromas of sweet almond, hazelnut, peach and raspberry. The palate is beautifully balanced and full of finesse, dry at 6 g\/l, with the nutty, savoury depth that seven to ten years in cellar on lees brings. Pinot Noir 60%, Chardonnay 30%, Meunier 10%.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe producer\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHoffmann \u0026amp; Rathbone is a boutique winery in England's Sussex Weald, founded by the husband-and-wife team of Ulrich Hoffmann and Birgit Rathbone; Hoffmann spent 22 years working from the Rolf-Willy estate in Baden-Württemberg to Châteaux de Fieuzal and Haut-Gardère in Bordeaux, Artadi in Navarra and Cain Vineyards in the Napa Valley before the Sussex countryside and its cool climate kept him there. The fruit comes from Ford Farm Vineyard in East Sussex, three south-facing parcels on a single farm at 50 to 80 metres, ringed by woodland that shelters them from wind and holds the heat, on clay over sandstone; the vines are Guyot trained and farmed without herbicides, with under-vine weeding, solar panels, boreholes and a wildflower meadow, orchard and woodland kept for biodiversity, and the harvest is picked by hand into small crates, often a fortnight earlier than most. The fruit was meticulously selected and whole-bunch pressed, the juice separated from the skins in three fractions and settled naturally, then fermented over 14 days at 15°C with a selected yeast called 'sleeping beauty' that dates back to 1895 — in stainless steel, in 500 to 600-litre oak barrels, in a few chestnut barrels and in a terracotta egg. The wine was kept sur lie up to five months, settled, blended, filtered and bottled the following June, riddled periodically, and this cuvée was cellared for seven to ten years before disgorging; it is low in total sulphur and at the lower end of Brut for residual sugar.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFood and drinking\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eServe at 8–10°C, in a white-wine glass. It has the weight for grilled langoustine, a roast chicken, a mushroom risotto or a hard sheep's cheese, and is drinking well now and for three to five years; no decanting. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hoffmann \u0026 Rathbone","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58476546818431,"sku":"HNW-6397215A","price":48.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/4192\/4998\/files\/6397215A.jpg?v=1789923579"},{"product_id":"nv-fitzrovia-rose-ridgeview","title":"Fitzrovia Rosé, Ridgeview NV","description":"\u003ch3\u003eHow it tastes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eA delicate rose-petal hue and an abundance of fine bubbles, with wild strawberry and honeyed redcurrant on the nose and real fruit-driven purity. The palate is fresh and dry, brimming with sherbet over high acidity, then balanced by a creamy, long finish. Chardonnay 68%, Pinot Noir 17%, Meunier 15%.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe producer\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eRidgeview was founded in Sussex in 1995 by Mike and Chris Roberts, early enough that the English sparkling wine industry barely existed; Mike Roberts was awarded an MBE in 2011 in recognition of what the estate's pioneering had contributed, and it is now led by the second generation, Tamara Roberts as chief executive and Simon Roberts as head winemaker. Ridgeview won the IWSC 'International Winemaker of the Year' in 2018, its wines have been poured at Royal occasions and State Banquets, and it is a certified B Corporation. The grapes come from the original Ridgeview vineyards, now 28 years old, and from carefully selected partner vineyards across southern England: generally south-facing, free-draining slopes in and around the South Downs, with a couple in East Anglia, on a mix of chalk, clay, gravel and sandstone between 10 and 50 metres of elevation in a cool maritime climate. Vines are trained to vertical shoot positioning and mostly Guyot pruned, with Marco Simonit advising on gentle pruning to preserve the older plantings, and all the fruit is picked by hand. Fitzrovia is made from a blend of recent vintages and reserve wines. The grapes were pressed in whole bunches to draw out the finest juice, fermented in stainless steel at 18°C to 20°C with selected Champagne yeasts, and a selection went through malolactic conversion before blending; the colour comes by the assemblage method, a perfectly judged fraction of Pinot Noir red wine added to the blend of base wines. Secondary fermentation then took place slowly and cool in underground cellars, with an average of eighteen months on lees before disgorging.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFood and drinking\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eServe at 7–9°C. It is good with smoked salmon, prawns, charcuterie, a salade niçoise or strawberries and cream, and makes an easy aperitif; drink over the next two to three years. No decanting. The bottle is sealed with a DIAM closure. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ridgeview","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58476547670399,"sku":"HNW-63938NVA","price":38.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/4192\/4998\/files\/63938NVA.jpg?v=1789923660"},{"product_id":"2013-blanc-de-blancs-hoffmann-rathbone","title":"Blanc de Blancs, Hoffmann \u0026 Rathbone 2013","description":"\u003ch3\u003eHow it tastes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eA fine, seamless mousse and citrus aromas that unfold into pine nut and cinnamon. Generous and intense on the palate, the rich brioche notes of seven years in cellar held in tension by a stinging salinity, and dry at 6.8 g\/l. Chardonnay 100%.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe producer\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHoffmann \u0026amp; Rathbone is a boutique winery in England's Sussex Weald, founded by the husband-and-wife team of Ulrich Hoffmann and Birgit Rathbone; Hoffmann spent 22 years working from the Rolf-Willy estate in Baden-Württemberg to Châteaux de Fieuzal and Haut-Gardère in Bordeaux, Artadi in Navarra and Cain Vineyards in the Napa Valley before the Sussex countryside and its cool climate kept him there. The fruit comes from Ford Farm Vineyard in East Sussex, three south-facing parcels on a single farm at 50 to 80 metres, ringed by woodland that shelters them from wind and holds the heat, on clay over sandstone; the vines are Guyot trained and farmed without herbicides, with under-vine weeding, solar panels, boreholes and a wildflower meadow, orchard and woodland kept for biodiversity, and the harvest is picked by hand into small crates, often a fortnight earlier than most. The fruit was whole-bunch pressed and left to settle naturally for 36 hours, then fermented over 14 days at 15°C with a selected yeast called 'sleeping beauty' that dates to 1895, in stainless steel with 40% in 500 to 600-litre oak barrels for complexity and 40% taken through malolactic conversion. The wine was kept sur lie up to five months, settled, blended, filtered and bottled the following June, riddled periodically, and the cuvée was cellared for seven years.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFood and drinking\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eServe at 8–10°C, in a white-wine glass. It goes with oysters, turbot in butter, smoked salmon or a young goat's cheese, and is drinking well now and for three to five years; no decanting. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hoffmann \u0026 Rathbone","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58476547834239,"sku":"HNW-6397413A","price":58.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/4192\/4998\/files\/6397413A.jpg?v=1789923608"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.edkawines.com\/collections\/english-sparkling-wine.oembed","provider":"Edka Wines","version":"1.0","type":"link"}